Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 1 December 2022

Public Accounts Committee

2021 Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 37 - Social Protection - Social Insurance Fund 2021
Chapter 10: Regularity of social welfare payments
Chapter 11: The recovery of benefit and assistance payments following compensation awards
Chapter 14: Classification of workers for PRSI purposes

9:30 am

Mr. John McKeon:

It is difficult, as the Comptroller and Auditor General referenced in suggesting that we might do a random survey. One of the recommendations was that we undertake surveys similar to those we carry out under our normal controls. We do at least two control surveys per year in respect of our normal payments. There was a suggestion that we could do something similar in respect of the issue of employment status. I do not think that would work for a couple of reasons. The investigations into employment status are, of their nature, intrusive to the lives and work of people and the business of employers.